Cancer Control

The Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (CFCCC) Cancer Control (CC) Program fosters research to identify and reduce cancer risk and improve cancer outcomes and quality of life for patients and survivors in the CFCCC Catchment Area and beyond. CC members examine genomic and environmental influences of cancer and design, implement, and evaluate clinical trials to increase cancer screening, develop innovative approaches to assess and improve quality of life in children and adolescents with cancer, test novel biobehavioral interventions in cancer survivors, conduct clinical trials to improve outcomes and prevent recurrence, and work to reduce disparities that impact those living within and beyond the Catchment Area. CC members utilize novel approaches, such as telehealth, web-based support, and social media approaches to address CC aims. An emerging theme of the CC research portfolio includes addressing health disparities among at-risk populations. CC membership spans multiple Schools and Departments and includes epidemiologists, biostatisticians, psychologists, behavioral scientists, and clinicians. The diversity in background and expertise of the CC members promotes interdisciplinary collaborations that contribute to innovative and high-impact research. Furthermore, CC serves as the major CFCCC program interfacing with the Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) efforts and directing research relevant to the Catchment Area, with an ultimate goal of reducing cancer health disparities.

To facilitate growth of the CC Program, new faculty were recruited and new Program Co-Leaders (PLs) with expertise in thematic areas were appointed. The new CC Program Co-Leaders (PLs) bring complementary scientific leadership to facilitate cancer control research at CFCCC and beyond. Joel Milam, PhD, is an expert in understanding barriers to follow-up care and improving health outcomes among pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors, with an emphasis on Latino survivors. Sunmin Lee, ScD, MPH, focuses on factors associated with low cancer screening rates among minority populations and designing, implementing, and evaluating culturally-tailored randomized controlled trials to increase cancer screening, with an emphasis on underserved Asian populations. The PLs work together in CC strategic planning, faculty recruitments, planning Program meetings, seminars and retreats, membership evaluation, growing the Program funding portfolio and intra-/inter-programmatic collaborations, and facilitating Program pilot project applications.